Brazil may buy Russian anti-aircraft weaponry

Moscow, Feb 3 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Brazilian defence ministry intends to discuss purchasing air defence systems from Russia during talks with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev later this month, the ministry said Sunday.

"We are interested in acquiring three batteries of Pantsir-S1 missiles and two batteries of Igla missiles," General Jose Carlos De Nardi, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, said in a statement.

The possible purchase of Russian anti-aircraft weaponry will be discussed during Medvedev's visit to Brazil scheduled for the end of February, he said.

An agreement, if signed, would envisage the construction of a factory in Brazil and the transfer of technologies, he said.

The Pantsir-S, produced by Russia's KBP, is a gun-missile system combining a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles, and is designed to take on a variety of targets flying at low altitudes.

The Pantsir can reportedly engage targets up to 20 km by missiles and four km using cannons.

The export version of the system, Pantsir-S1, has been sold to the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Algeria.

The Igla is a Russian man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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